First of, I want to say this is a great forum. I love macs and I love BBs

Although I'm new I hope that you don't mind if I start a thread that would consolidate some of the different threads about the tethering your Mac to the Blackberry 8830. I'm not adding a new information but hope to make it easier for those that are looking for the information to come to one thread that they can use. Okay here it goes.

Can you tether your Mac to the Blackberry 8830?

The answer is Yes.

Can I tether via USB or Bluetooth?

I tried tethering via USB but was not able to do this but I have tethered via Bluetooth. Different posters have reported that they have been only able to tether via BT only. So the answer right now is BT only.

What are the speeds that you are getting?

I have gotten 220 down and 78 up. I think that this is pretty decent. It seems that this is pretty standard on VZW and Sprint. I'm not sure about the other carriers but if you can reply and add your speeds it would be great.

What is your service provider?

My service provider is Sprint. This was frustrating because it seemed like most post had to do with T Mobile or Cirgular/ATT and recently VZW. Based on the differents post that posters are reporting that all can tether. I will consolidate all of the info I found. Each carrier has to have a login and phone number

.

For Sprint

User Name: None

Password: None

Telephone Number: #777

For Verizon

User Name: (yourphonenumber@vzw3.com

Password: vzw

Telephone Number: #777

For Cingular

Still working on this

For TMobile

Still working on this

Do I need a special script?

I did not use a special script. I just followed a couple of cobbled together instructions from different sources - some on these site and some from other sites. So my answer to do this would be that you don't need a script.

Do I need to get a special plan to tether?

Depends on the carrier.

Sprint: No - it is included in your BB plan.
VZW: Yes - you have to add it for $15 per month. And you have to call

How can I tether my Blackberry 8830 with my mac?

1. Make sure that you pair your BT with your Macbook Pro.

2. Go to System Preferences.

3. Click on Network.

4. Click on the pull down for Show.

5. Choose Bluetooth.

6. Skip all the other tabs and leave blank and click on Bluetooth Modem.

7. Click on the Modem pull down and choose WWAn Support.

8. Check all of the boxes underneath the Modem pull down.

9. Close out and you will see a little phone icon in the status bar next to the airport status bar. Click on it.

10. Go down to the Open Internet Connect and click on Bluetooth.

11. Fill in the telephone number, account name and password .

12. Save it.

13. Turn off your airport.

14. Click on the phone icon and then click on connect.

15. If you have paired your phone correctly and your mac you should see the blue light start blinking. On your phone it will ask for permission. Click Yes.

16. You should see a connection dialog box with a send and receive bars on it.

17. Congrats you have tethered your Blackberry 8830 to the the mac.

Again thank you for such a great forum. Even though I'm new I hope that you don't mind that I'm doing this post. I hope to give back by contributing. I know there are more knowledgeable posters on this forum and I would appreciate any additions to this thread.

That is everything I did to get the thing to tether. I did a speed test at Speedtest.net and got 160kbps/80kbps.

If I helped anyone here and they feel like helping me out, someone please tell me what #777 is. Because when my phone dialed that when i was following the OPs directions, someone picked up which scared the crap out of me and I quickly hung up... I think I heard, "Hello, this is <something something> how may I help you?"

EDIT: Oh by the way, I did it on my Tmobile 8800 if that makes a difference...
EDIT: Original script(s) can be found Here from Ross Barkman

I believe that script was written by Ross Barkman - you might want to credit him and include a link to his site. He's put a lot of work over the years into getting us mobile-toting data junkies online.

I can go on the net via the phone direct but not connect my MacBook Pro to the net.

HELP

Ron

Yes, I had this exact problem. It turns out that Sprint in fact did not have my plan set up correctly. I had upgraded from a Treo 650, but when I called to activate the 8830, the CSR failed to inform me that my old PCS Vision plan is not applicable with the BB. After getting this error, I phoned Sprint and asked to be put on the BB Unlimited Plan ($39.99/month) and that fixed the problem. They apparently have two of these plans -- one for CDMA and the other for RTT (same price). Make sure they put you on the CDMA version of the plan. They messed this up and I had to call back. Then they set me up on the correct BB plan, but inadvertently dropped my voice plan, and I had to make a FOURTH call. This time I got through to BB support people at Sprint and someone actually got it done right. I use the WWAN Support script and it is working fine with my MacBook.

Just curious if there have been any other fixes to the "no carrier" issue. I have confirmed on two occasions now I am on the correct plan, and it is CDMA. I still have the same issues. It indicates it is "phone to modem" then disconnects and tells me there is no carrier. I have tried several modem strings, same effect. I am working with a MacBook Pro

Interestingly enough it also sees it as a network connection when I use a USP cable. Still have the same issues. I have tried to find a Sprint 8830 specific modem string and cannot seem to find one. Am I missing something?

Just curious if there have been any other fixes to the "no carrier" issue. I have confirmed on two occasions now I am on the correct plan, and it is CDMA. I still have the same issues. It indicates it is "phone to modem" then disconnects and tells me there is no carrier. I have tried several modem strings, same effect. I am working with a MacBook Pro

Interestingly enough it also sees it as a network connection when I use a USP cable. Still have the same issues. I have tried to find a Sprint 8830 specific modem string and cannot seem to find one. Am I missing something?

I am having the same problem. "No carrier detected. Please check phone line connection and try again." I get a script error when I check the log. Any ideas?? If this phone could tether to my MacBook, I'd be a lifetime BB user (there are other areas this phone has surpassed my expectations, this would just be the icing on the cake so to speak).

Just curious if there have been any other fixes to the "no carrier" issue. I have confirmed on two occasions now I am on the correct plan, and it is CDMA. I still have the same issues. It indicates it is "phone to modem" then disconnects and tells me there is no carrier. I have tried several modem strings, same effect. I am working with a MacBook Pro

Interestingly enough it also sees it as a network connection when I use a USP cable. Still have the same issues. I have tried to find a Sprint 8830 specific modem string and cannot seem to find one. Am I missing something?

Apologies in advance if I am pointing out the obvious ....

There is no Sprint 8830 script that I know of. I am using WWAN Support. Is your phone prompting you to accept a connection when you attempt to dial? If so, set up your MacBook as a "trusted" device on your 8830 (navigate to bluetooth options .. device properties .. trusted --> change to "yes"). Also, this simply will not work with USB, because there is no kernel extension. It will show up as a port in network prefs if you have Pocketmac installed, but this is only an illusion . Have you defined a separate "location" in network preferences for BT DUN? If not, I would recommend doing so. In the new configuration, turn off all other ports except for bluetooth.

Yes I have it set up as trusted, the two pair just fine. It actually tries to connect to the network and that is when I get the "no carrier detected".

I have not set up a separate location for BT DUN in Network Preferences. If I understand it correctly I had however set up a separate BT Modem under BB 8300. I am not certain about whether it turned off all other ports though, never thought about that, not sure how to do that. I did turn off my Airport and it still came up with the same error.

Okay, I think I accomplished that task. It is a separate location. Nothing is on that location other than the Blackberry. It spends a bit more time connecting then disconnects. It is making it to the network though. In checking the log it is connecting to the network and gets a "Connect Script Failed".

There is no Sprint 8830 script that I know of. I am using WWAN Support. Is your phone prompting you to accept a connection when you attempt to dial? If so, set up your MacBook as a "trusted" device on your 8830 (navigate to bluetooth options .. device properties .. trusted --> change to "yes"). Also, this simply will not work with USB, because there is no kernel extension. It will show up as a port in network prefs if you have Pocketmac installed, but this is only an illusion . Have you defined a separate "location" in network preferences for BT DUN? If not, I would recommend doing so. In the new configuration, turn off all other ports except for bluetooth.

Update your macs. Under my internet settings I have a modem script that says Sprint PCS vision and thats what I use, I have an older powerbook and I know I didnt add that and it was there.